Ted Stevens Challenges Efforts to Strengthen the Case Against Him

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Stevens Challenges Efforts to Strengthen the Case Against Him
By Kathleen Hunter, CQ Staff



Sen. Ted Stevens is punching back at attempts by federal prosecutors to introduce evidence in his upcoming trial alleging that he concealed a sweetheart loan on a piece of Florida real estate

In court papers filed Monday, Stevens’ lawyers called the government’s plan to raise to the 2001 real estate transaction “irrelevant and prejudicial” and asked a federal judge to rule it inadmissible.

The Alaska Republican’s trial on felony charges that he made false statements on his Senate financial disclosure reports over a period of seven years is scheduled for Sept. 24 in U.S. District Court in Washington. He is accused of concealing gifts he received from employees of VECO Corp., an Alaska oil and gas company. The government alleges that VECO employees solicited Stevens for favors he could supply in his official capacity as a senator.

Prosecutors said earlier this month that they planned to bring up the Florida real estate transaction, which they allege resulted in a $31,000 interest-free loan to Stevens and, eventually, $100,000 in profit on the deal.

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